After GVG submitted a legal challenge questioning the legality of the council’s long-term planning strategy in June 2013, Mr Mansbridge said: “If I go back to my military background, in Northern Ireland a handful of terrorists ruined the community. I do not ally the Guildford Vision Group to being terrorists, I might add, but they have a loud voice and there are many people in our community who do not have a loud voice but have opinions and need to be heard.”

Mr Mansbridge told Get Surrey on Monday that he could not accept recent changes agreed to the governance of the local authority, and that he had also resigned as a councillor for Ash South and Tongham ward.

His reasons for resigning have been questioned by opposition parties but Mr Stokoe praised Mr Mansbridge for his vision and work that he put into the masterplan which is currently out for consultation until November 16.

He said: “Stephen brought energy, dynamism and leadership to the subject and we hope that those that follow will have a similar commitment to the masterplan and the execution stage.

“We have met with a number of senior councillors over the life of our campaign and we do hope that they will continue the good work that got us to the stage we are at.”

Asked which councillor he would like to see replace Mr Mansbridge, Mr Stokoe said: “We await the out come of the democratic process. Our focus is the masterplan and that will continue to be our focus.”